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Post by xanady on Jul 3, 2019 19:59:45 GMT
Had a massive crush on Ayshea Brough...just saying...
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2019 0:54:17 GMT
Frank Carson was one of the legit funny guys who never had to be crude.
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Post by xanady on Jul 4, 2019 11:50:29 GMT
Just a few years before he passed,Les Dawson was doing a Blackpool summer show at the Winter Gardens with Keith Harris and Frank. Les came on and said he had not been too well and said that Frank had volunteered to cover some of his stand-up routines to help out.Frank was always a team-player by all accounts and one of variety’s nice guys.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2019 14:10:48 GMT
Just a few years before he passed,Les Dawson was doing a Blackpool summer show at the Winter Gardens with Keith Harris and Frank. Les came on and said he had not been too well and said that Frank had volunteered to cover some of his stand-up routines to help out.Frank was always a team-player by all accounts and one of variety’s nice guys. Frank certain had an interesting history, he was a paratrooper in the late 1940's, killing people and being wounded himself in action. When he passed away, I can remember Chris Tarrant saying "God help them in heaven, now Frank Carson is up there".
He always seems to have been one of the good guys and widely respected by a lot of his peers.
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Post by talkingheads on Jul 26, 2019 10:00:49 GMT
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578 posts
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Post by lou105 on Jul 26, 2019 17:57:02 GMT
If anyone wants to see what York Theatre Royal produce, with Berwick only wielding a pen, there's a 2 for 1 offer for December 9-13. Need to book before end of July.
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Post by talkingheads on Sept 6, 2019 23:56:33 GMT
Just curious, I thought every panto had announced their star casting by now, but unless I've missed it New Wimbledon Theatre hasn't yet? Given they are known for having comics like Al Murray and Paul Merton make their panto debuts it seems quite late in the day to have no cast announced, if they want to shift any tickets that is!
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Post by talkingheads on Sept 16, 2019 11:40:41 GMT
Well as it's getting closer and closer to panto season, I'm travelling further afield than normal. I've booked to see the York panto as I had such a good time last year, and as I'm coming up from Dorset I'm popping over to Bradford to catch Paul Chuckle in Snow White, and then as I'm up that end of the country, heading to Crewe to see Cannon and Ball in Peter Pan. I'm even considering adding an extra day and going to Nottingham to see Sooty because I'm a very grown up 24 year old. It's a heck of a lot of panto for a few days but I'm an unashamed lover of it, to my mind it's the purest form of theatre, it exists purely to give joy to an audience.
Then later in December I've got the annual pilgrimage to the Palladium as well as the Hackney Empire too. I might even squeeze in New Wimbledon Theatre when they decide to announce a cast!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2019 15:39:01 GMT
I'll probably do my usual local Midland loop Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Malvern, Lichfield and possibly Redditch. The George Critchley one at Cannock is also usually a good show so if I hear good things about it then I may pop along.
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1,910 posts
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Post by LaLuPone on Sept 16, 2019 19:41:20 GMT
I don’t normally do panto at all, though I wish I’d seen Dick Whittington a few years ago just to see Elaine Paige in something, but this year I’m going to make the trip to Birmingham for Snow White mainly to see Jac Yarrow but it will also be great to see Lesley Joseph, I love Birds of a Feather. Other 16-24 year olds, it looks like they’re doing £6 tickets for us all through January so pretty stupid not to go!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2019 19:48:34 GMT
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Post by talkingheads on Sept 26, 2019 12:10:55 GMT
Well, turns out New Wimbledon Theatre have been holding out so long for their exclusive announcement that they've secured.... Samantha Womack and Lesley Garrett, with Pete Firman back from last year and also Melody Thornton. Not sure I'll bother going this year, especially for the money they charge.
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Post by talkingheads on Sept 26, 2019 12:32:03 GMT
Luckily I always book early on the ATG membership offer, so it's only £15 for best seats. My teenage self seems to remember Ms Womack filled a nice pair of leather trousers as Sandy. Lesley Garrett I can live with. Peter Firman I can always nip to the loo when he's on. Melody Thornton I've had to google and still don't have a clue - but she looks like she will make a pretty Cinderella so that seems OK. Still, a good script and you never know. Actually the only reason I would consider seeing this is for Firman, I think he's a brilliant showman, but couldn't care less about the rest (obviously I appreciate Lesley Garrett has a lovely voice but that's not enough to tempt me to book). I was dithering waiting for this or booking Croydon to see Tim Vine, also in Cinderella (and will likely be a much funnier production!)
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Post by nick on Sept 26, 2019 15:33:07 GMT
We don’t do New Year parties so I’ve booked to see the Greenwich Theatre pants on New Years Eve.
It’s always worth the money. No starts but a great script and dame.
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Post by nick on Sept 26, 2019 15:33:30 GMT
We don’t do New Year parties so I’ve booked to see the Greenwich Theatre pants on New Years Eve. It’s always worth the money. No starts but a great script and dame. I hope it’s not pants!!!
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Post by xanady on Oct 1, 2019 17:52:25 GMT
We are booked front row for Brum and the Grand,Wolves...Matt Slacks’s annual masterclass in panto buffoonery...unsurpassed imo...
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Post by talkingheads on Oct 7, 2019 18:48:46 GMT
Just out of interest, what's the most anyone's ever paid for panto tickets? I ask because I was looking at going to Mother Goose in Canterbury as it's one of those pantos I've always wanted to see and haven't yet, but it would cost just over £90 for two of us. I'd expect to pay that (grudgingly!) in London, but since when did provincial panto become quite so expensive? I know theatres make most of their money etc, but unless the biggest star in the world is in it I think anything above £40 each is excessive.
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721 posts
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Post by hulmeman on Oct 7, 2019 19:30:07 GMT
Just out of interest, what's the most anyone's ever paid for panto tickets? I ask because I was looking at going to Mother Goose in Canterbury as it's one of those pantos I've always wanted to see and haven't yet, but it would cost just over £90 for two of us. I'd expect to pay that (grudgingly!) in London, but since when did provincial panto become quite so expensive? I know theatres make most of their money etc, but unless the biggest star in the world is in it I think anything above £40 each is excessive. You won't even get one decent ticket at the Palladium for your £90!!!!!
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Post by talkingheads on Oct 7, 2019 19:54:03 GMT
Just out of interest, what's the most anyone's ever paid for panto tickets? I ask because I was looking at going to Mother Goose in Canterbury as it's one of those pantos I've always wanted to see and haven't yet, but it would cost just over £90 for two of us. I'd expect to pay that (grudgingly!) in London, but since when did provincial panto become quite so expensive? I know theatres make most of their money etc, but unless the biggest star in the world is in it I think anything above £40 each is excessive. You won't even get one decent ticket at the Palladium for your £90!!!!! That's very true, but I do appreciate that London will always be at the top end, with the Palladium the absolute apex. I was just surprised at the cost in Canterbury. my local in Bournemouth for example is £24
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Post by talkingheads on Oct 9, 2019 12:27:49 GMT
Considering going to Bromley as it may well be Biggins' final panto (although he did say the same last year!)
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2019 13:21:49 GMT
Considering going to Bromley as it may well be Biggins' final panto (although he did say the same last year!) Christopher turned 70 late last year and said he was going to stop doing pantos at this age as he'll still be 70 when this year's show opens he could be covered either way. I can remember reading that he said he'd signed up for 3 more pantos which would take him up to 70 but I don't know if it was 3 or 4 years ago or if he missed a year recently too. If it is going to be his final year then I'd hope he gets a fitting send off as he has been one of the great dames of his generation. Apparently he was first offered the dame role when he was doing Porridge he was reluctant to do it as he thought it would stop him being seen as a serious actor but the money was good and possibly Ronnie Barker said to him if you do it and are good at it you've got a role for life and you can say you've earned X amount for the role when you go for other roles in the future.
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Post by talkingheads on Oct 9, 2019 18:48:24 GMT
Considering going to Bromley as it may well be Biggins' final panto (although he did say the same last year!) Christopher turned 70 late last year and said he was going to stop doing pantos at this age as he'll still be 70 when this year's show opens he could be covered either way. I can remember reading that he said he'd signed up for 3 more pantos which would take him up to 70 but I don't know if it was 3 or 4 years ago or if he missed a year recently too. If it is going to be his final year then I'd hope he gets a fitting send off as he has been one of the great dames of his generation. Apparently he was first offered the dame role when he was doing Porridge he was reluctant to do it as he thought it would stop him being seen as a serious actor but the money was good and possibly Ronnie Barker said to him if you do it and are good at it you've got a role for life and you can say you've earned X amount for the role when you go for other roles in the future. Is he the longest serving Dame now Berwick's retired?
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Post by talkingheads on Oct 10, 2019 23:04:11 GMT
Also what are people's opinions on adult panto? (the irony of course being that there's nothing inherently adult about how childish it all is!). A relative is insisting on dragging us to a touring production of one and I have no idea if it'll be buttock-clenchingly cringworthy or actually a fun, raucous, ribald night out. My only experience of it is watching a Jim Davidson one on video and loathing it but that could be biased as the words I'd use to describe Jim Davidson certainly can't be printed here!
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Post by talkingheads on Oct 11, 2019 16:51:17 GMT
I've only seen Jim Davidson - and adult panto - live once, "Sinderella" at the Cambridge Theatre. Also seen "Boobs In The Wood" on video. Video kills panto dead, but I have to say that live it depends a lot on the audience. I remember Charlie Drake having to deal with a drunken idiot who kept heckling (this was a 5pm matinee and the idiot was totally blotto). If I'm honest, the Palladium pantos now are filthier than anything in that full length script, flash of nudity and maybe the odd line aside. Adult panto for me is fine if done with the same attention to detail as mainstream, "Sinderella" wasn't bad, really, but the other one proves the point, I'd say. After your comment I went and watched a bit of Sinderella on YouTube. It actually made me laugh, mainly down to a progressively drunk Charlie Drake and the the ridiculously ribald ugly sisters, and is more fun than I'd remembered.
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Post by talkingheads on Oct 11, 2019 18:01:00 GMT
Forgot they released it on video. Not sure I want to remember, but I seem to recall it wasn't bad either. Ha, fair! Going back to normal panto, is Biggins now the longest serving Dame? I know retirement's been on the cards for a few years now and if this is to be the year I can't miss it!
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492 posts
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Post by WireHangers on Oct 22, 2019 14:03:48 GMT
Anyone here write pantomimes?
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4,970 posts
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Post by TallPaul on Oct 22, 2019 16:25:41 GMT
Anyone here write pantomimes? xanady, I think.
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Post by xanady on Oct 22, 2019 16:34:35 GMT
Yes,been writing them for 30 years.Can I help in any way?
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492 posts
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Post by WireHangers on Oct 23, 2019 1:03:33 GMT
Anyone here write pantomimes? More like "Anyone on here NOT writing pantomime?" Ahaaaaaaaa!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 23, 2019 12:43:10 GMT
Forgot they released it on video. Not sure I want to remember, but I seem to recall it wasn't bad either. Ha, fair! Going back to normal panto, is Biggins now the longest serving Dame? I know retirement's been on the cards for a few years now and if this is to be the year I can't miss it! I wouldn't know off the top of my head but I'd think that Biggins has probably made the most Dame appearances as anyone currently in Panto. Jeffrey Holland is a couple of years older than Chris and may well have done as many pantos as him but may have not played the Dame as much. He is playing Alderman in Dick Whittington this year for example. Allan Stewart up in Scotland turns 70 next year so could have notched up a lot of Dame appearances. I'll ask the question on It's Behind You Website which Nigel Ellacott runs, someone on there will know the answer.
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